Migrating to Microsoft Authentication

Why?

Microsoft is deactivating simple authentication as its security has become less effective as technology progresses. This deactivation is scheduled for October 2022.

See the full announcement here.

How? - Microsoft

BusinessCraft is not an email administrator and all information here is subject to your IT administrator. We have published some brief information on our website on the Exchange Online portal.

This is Microsoft’s documentation.

You’ll need:

  1. Tenant ID – (how to find)

  2. “Client ID” / “Secret ID” / “Application (Client) ID” – in BusinessCraft we refer to this as the Client ID

  3. Value (Secret Key) – this is the secret key that will only be available during key generation (if not obtained when adding the auth method, you’ll need to start again)

  4. Set correct API permissions (API Permissions page (may need Global Administrator rights) and make sure the Mail.Read, Mail,ReadWrite and Mail.Send components within Microsoft Graph have permissions granted for your site)

  5. An email account designated as the BusinessCraft email account (e.g. accounts@company.com; noreply@company.com; etc) (cannot be an alias)

How? BusinessCraft

BusinessCraft has multiple areas that could contain email configurations.

Online documentation reference.

You’ll need:

  1. BusinessCraft Service Version 5.12.3.5 or later (download (either installer OR files method)).

  2. The Microsoft details (above)

Recommended steps:

  1. Backup your current configuration(s) (found at C:\ProgramData\BusinessCraft Pty Ltd\)

  2. Upgrade BusinessCraft Service (if not on 5.12.3.5 or later)

  3. Open the BusinessCraft Service Maintenance interface

  4. Configure SMTP Logging tab (detailed below)

  5. Validate configuration by sending test email

  6. Configure Plugins Tab (detailed below)

    1. Email SMS Service Plugin

    2. Incoming Email Monitoring (if in use)

SMTP Logging Tab

This tab is best for the initial setup as your current emails will remain operational while you confirm your ID keys.

  1. Set “Provider” to “Exchange (Modern Auth)” (this will give you the needed fields to set below)

  2. Set “Tenant ID” to “Tenant ID”

  3. Set “Client ID” to “Application (client) ID”

  4. Set “Client Secret” to the “Value” generated when setting up the Microsoft auth method

  5. Set from email to a valid email with associated email account/email folders (can’t be an alias)

  6. Set “Test Email” to your own email for checking

  7. Click “Send” – in a few seconds it will popup with the results of the test send and should appear in the “Test email” inbox. If this doesn’t happen, the configuration is incorrect

  8. Click “Apply” (bottom right) to save the settings

  9. Once correct, setup the remaining plugins area

Plugins Tab

  1. Stop the BusinessCraft Service (this should be scheduled for when there are no reports planned to be run from plugins, emails sent during this time will bank up and send once the service is restarted):

  1. Using the validated information established in the “SMTP Logging” tab (above) go to the “Plugins” tab

  2. Find all instances of “Email SMS Service Plugin” and “Incoming Email Monitoring”, right click on them and select config:

  1. For each plugin add the Tenant/Client ID/Client Secret same as the “SMTP Logging” setup

  2. Once all plugins have been setup and saved, “Start” the BusinessCraft service. The job is now done.

Email SMS Service Plugin

Once you’ve added the configs, “Send Test” will provide an immediate popup checking the config is working, whereas “Test Service” will generate an email via XML which is the same method used when doing a payroll or invoice email run within BusinessCraft. “Test Service” will not complete until the service is started. Both methods send to the “Test Email” address. Once both tests have arrived, select “Save at the bottom of the plugin configuration screen. This plugin setup is complete.

Incoming Email Monitoring

In the right-click config screen, drop down the “Email Account” setup:

Update the configuration fields as needed. Save.

Help / Troubleshooting

Some previously encountered issues:

Error referencing ‘two keys’

You are running version 5.12.3.4. Upgrade to fix.

I can’t find “Microsoft Auth” in the configuration dropdowns

You are running version 5.12.1.9 or earlier. Upgrade.

When upgrading using the installer I get an ‘error 1001’

Your previous version is mismatched to the current installer type. Manually uninstall then install again.

Cannot find mailbox or tenant user

The email you are using is an alias or not an email account.

Other

Contact BusinessCraft Support.